How life has changed in South Staffordshire

South Staffordshire's population increased by about 2,200 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the most notable changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 110,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of South Staffordshire increased by 2.1%, from almost 106,000 to 108,000.

The addition of about 2,200 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, South Staffordshire was home to, on average, 1.9 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older South Staffordshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of South Staffordshire increased by four years, from 41 to 45 years.

This area had the third-highest average age in the West Midlands and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just under 3,700 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just over 4,000.

About 14.0% of people in South Staffordshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and South Staffordshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer homes with children

South Staffordshire saw the West Midlands' largest fall in the proportion of households with children.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (27.8%) households in South Staffordshire had at least one dependent child, compared with 31.4% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 56.8% to 59.9%.

Across the region, Tamworth saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of households with children (from 35.5% in 2001 to 32.0% in 2011).

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of South Staffordshire residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.1%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. The improvement brought health in South Staffordshire close to the national average 1.4% in England described their health as good in 2011).

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in South Staffordshire remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and South Staffordshire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in South Staffordshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except Malvern Hills and Stratford-on-Avon.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of privately rented homes, as the regional average grew from 7.2% to 14.0%.

Private renting in South Staffordshire increased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in South Staffordshire, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of South Staffordshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.1% to 5.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80.9%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70.4% in 2001. While the percentage of South Staffordshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.5% to 13.8%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in South Staffordshire decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in South Staffordshire, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in South Staffordshire

The percentage of South Staffordshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.2% to 4.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 12 (8.5%) reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities, compared with 8.8% in 2001. The percentage of South Staffordshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 88.0% to 87.5%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in South Staffordshire

Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation in South Staffordshire, the largest percentage point increase was among those who said they had no religion, rising 9.8 points between 2001 and 2011. The census question about religion is voluntary, so varying response rates mean caution is needed when comparing figures between different areas or between censuses.

In 2011, 19.6% of respondents in South Staffordshire said they had no religion, up from 9.8% in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of respondents who described themselves as having no religion increased from 13.3% to 23.5%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Around 78.1% of respondents in South Staffordshire said they were Christian, down from 89.0% in 2001. About 1.0% said they were Sikh, up from 0.5% a decade prior.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in South Staffordshire increased by 9.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, West Midlands and South Staffordshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

The percentage of adults in South Staffordshire that were married decreased from 60.5% to 55.1% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in four (26.9%) people aged 16 and over said they were single, compared with 23.0% in 2001. The percentage of adults in South Staffordshire that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 8.5% to 10.0%.

The proportion of married people fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 52.4% in 2001 to 47.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 50.6% to 46.6%.

The proportion of married people was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in South Staffordshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 14.5% to 10.9% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.7%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.7% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 12.5% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in South Staffordshire decreased by 3.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in South Staffordshire, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

The percentage of one-person households increased in South Staffordshire at a faster rate than in Lichfield (one of the most statistically similar areas to South Staffordshire based on ONS area classifications).

In South Staffordshire, the proportion of one-person households increased from 22.6% in 2001 to 25.3% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in statistically similar Lichfield increased from 23.8% to 24.3%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of one-person households increased from 28.8% to 29.5%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in South Staffordshire increased from 7.4% to 9.0%, while the percentage of households with a married couple decreased from 48.3% to 40.8%.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in South Staffordshire

In 2011, 95.9% of South Staffordshire residents said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, making it the most common ethnicity in this local authority area. The population from these groups has increased from 98.0% in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from one of the White ethnic groups decreased from 88.7% to 82.7%, while across England the percentage went from 90.7% to 85.1%.

Around 2.0% of people in South Staffordshire said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, compared with 1.0% in 2001. About 1.4% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.6% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.3% to 0.5%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or relocating for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from one of the White ethnic groups in South Staffordshire decreased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and South Staffordshire by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of South Staffordshire residents that were studying increased from 2.3% to 2.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (53.5%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 55.1% in 2001. The percentage of South Staffordshire residents that were unemployed increased from 2.4% to 3.3%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 2.5% in 2001 to 3.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

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